You are here

Hopkins The Master Pensioner

Kelly was so totally of out the realm from the first round on, that many commented that it would've been more merciful or humane, if Hopkins had KOâ€™d Kelly to spare him the 12 round humiliation.

[Sports: Boxing]

Last night in Atlantic City's,
Boardwalk Hall, in New Jersey, we witnessed a proven fact that the boxing ring
is indeed is "A Place For Old Men", if you areBernard "The Executioner" Hopkins.

He administered a "text
book" dismantling of the invincible, undefeated, World Middleweight
Champion, Kelly "The Ghost" Pavlik by a 12 round-one-sided, unanimous
decision. Kelly should thank God that the fight was "a catch-weight"
contract fight -170 lbs.- or else he would've been an ex-champ.

Kelly was so totally of out the realm
from the first round on, that many commented that it would've been more
merciful or humane, if Hopkins
had ko'd Kelly to spare him the 12 round humiliation. Maybe they were right. I
gave Hopkins
every round, even when Kelly "appeared" to be fighting back.

"The Fighter Of The
Year"---"The Upset Of The Year"---"The Loser Of The
Year"---"The Fight Of The Year"---, was witnessed in one fight,
in one Atlantic City ring, because those who "mortgaged" the ranch on
the sure thing slam-dunk victory by Pavlik over Hopkins, are probably beating a
path to Wall Street for "bail-out" monetary support.

Bernard Hopkins with this victory
over Kelly Pavlik proved without a shadow of a doubt, that when he is in the
ring, the ring is "No Place For Young Men".

This perhaps clarifies why Hopkins
stopped his "trash talk" of his opponent -Pavlik- like with Tito
Trinidad, and Winky Wright, and was so "diplomatic" at the press
conferences, praising Pavlik as the best fighter around and his "toughest
challenge". Hopkins the master psychologist actually had already
"defeated" Pavlik with all of his praises, leading the lamb to
slaughter. Kelly actually bought into his invincibility over Hopkins until he met his Kryptonite.

As Kelly returned to his corner
right after the second round, he looked lost, realizing that he bit off more
than he could chew.

I watched every corner after every
round, and in Kelly's corner there was desperation and pleas to do things he
realized that he could not do against Hopkins.

Yet in Hopkins' corner there was complete
tranquility, and a "stick to our battle plan" refrains. I heard Hopkins' corner man
telling him just before the last round: "I know you could knock him out
but stick to the battle plan and if it comes take it, but stick to the plan".

In the later rounds you could hear
Jack Lowe telling Pavlik that, "you got to knock him out, don't let him
steal this from you." Desperation, desperation, desperation in a losing
cause, as Kelly stumbled back to his desperate corner, round after humiliating
round with no way to solve the puzzle.

What's next for the Executioner?
Perhaps a re-match with Roy Jones, Jr., one of his yesteryear conquerors, if
Jones gets by Joe Calzaghe next month in Madison Square Garden. Roy Jones being
an eye witness to Bernard's victory over Pavlik perhaps is saying to himself,
"If this old man could it, then I could beat this youngster,
Calzaghe".

But, "aye, there is the
rub", as William Shakespeare would always say, Calzaghe is "no
youngster", he is as old as Roy Jones. So the Executioner willhave to fight the winner of this "Senior
Citizen " fight. Speaking of Senior Citizens, should I come out of
retirement and try my luck at a young pup?